The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-01-02
MORE SCHOOLING NEEDED
TO PREVENT Us FROM LAPslH0
TO BLANK IGN0RAHOE.
Figures and Facts That Appeal 90
the Manhood and Womanhsod
of Tennessee.
To III. Raltors Of he Appsnli

To the Editors Of tho bppeai;
The enclosed article published in
the Nashvil Union, and solely in
the interest 81 public free schools,
may, hope, find ePace la the ArrKAL,
which hes always been in favor d
progress and better educational facili-
ties. Our iai.eracy in Tennessee is,
in my judgment, crying evil, and
Just now, when the County Courts are
about TO assemble and levy the school
tsx, is the time for the press TO speak
out for public free schools for the coun-
try pooE
QUE oANoN SCHOOL SYSTEM.
The incoming Legislature and the
quarterly courts 70 assemble ia jan
uary have the fate Of our pub lie free
schools ia their keeping. National
aid TO education, II II ever comes, will
not be available for year OF more,
and we cannot afford to wait.
Oar politicians and Representatives
told US In tho last campaign that 1t
was unmanly to accept national aid,
and unconstitutional as a measure and
Yankee trick 10 break up the Demo
cratic party, and that they would zee
to 1t that we got sufficient State and
county aid to make our public schools
batter and more efficient.
II they we're sincere they will in
crosse the Slate tex for public schools
10 20 or 80 cents on Ihe 500 worth Of
property. Nothing short Of this will
accomplish the desired result. III the
couniy courts would levy tax which,
supplemented by the State lax, would
give the country children five months
sch oil we should be satisAsd. But
what are the factsq In many Of the
counties the total per capita Tor the
education OF the children amounts per
snnum to less than $1 How are chil-
dren to be educated on 81 per annum2
The average term Ia many Of the
counties is about sixty days per year.
At this rate, if we depend upon tho
pub 10 schools. we shall have gencr-
alton OF ignorsnt dols in a few years.
What Is the remedyp Our states
men OF Tennessee tell us we shall not
have national aid. What, then, shall
we do? Allow your correspondent to
suggest, and let VA sse how many OF
our statesmen will help us.
/. Amend the revenue laws 80 as 10
subject to its assessment at its real
value all tOxabie property.
2. Amend the constitution by strik-
ing OUT the clause which eKempts
$1,000 worth OF personal property from
taxation In the hands OF each tax
payer.
s. Make each voter pay his poll tax
or deny him his ballot, as oontem-
plated by section ], article 4, of the
constitution, which quires that each
voter shall give satisfactory evidence
that he hes paid his pol taK for each
preceding period az the Legislature
shall have prescribed. Let the Legs
lature prescribe the period and vital
ize the organic law.
4. Enact rome law not obnoxious
TO the constitution, taxing all dogs Ia
excess OF one 10 each head OF fam
lily.
Taking our suggestions in the in
verse order:
We eeulj get frsm Wise and Judi
Cl0uH uOR YAK ncr nnpum ~ lchst...,t ~ WV
Wowould get from pshs, II collected
RdditionAl, Mt loaBt.-"....".......,,, i2o,Oos
We would get frem tho personal prop
erty now exempt fron taxation, ad-
dtionAl, at iOo.Oee
Ard by propOr a ondn emit to tho
revenue laws rs thoy now exist We
would get, additional at loast......s,, Do,OOe
Total. ......... $500 Oss
Add this sum to the existing reve-
nue. and to that obtained from county
taxes and we will be able TO give the
country children the iudiments OF an
education. We say country children,
because they are the sufferers. Me
cities and larger towns, by municipal
taxes, raise enough generally TO keep
up good schools for ten months In the
year. Witness Nashville, Memphis,
Knoxville, Jackson all Of which have
excellent pubic schools.
One reason why there Is 60 much
dissatisfaction in the country and such
inclination to move to the cities lie be-
cause Of the delire Of parents to get
where they can educate their children.
The law OF Tennessee, code, section
ll66, pretcibes five months public
free school us tho minimum, and the
County Court ought to know 1t and
provide for 1t.
We have no time to lose. Next
Monday the county taxes will be
levied for school purposes,
Let the press OF the State call their
attention to their legal duty, and they
will give us Ave months school.
December 20. 1885.